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Re: Just welded my exhaust with an arc welder...

That sure seems like the hard way to do it... .. when I have done it or seen it done at muffle shops they use oxy - acet torch... sure easy to burn through some things... often times you are connecting to partly rusted pipe which will burn through very easily....Even clean new pipe seems like it would be hard to reach the top side with a stick...

Re: Just welded my exhaust with an arc welder...

Originally Posted by GBM

That sure seems like the hard way to do it... .. when I have done it or seen it done at muffle shops they use oxy - acet torch... sure easy to burn through some things... often times you are connecting to partly rusted pipe which will burn through very easily....Even clean new pipe seems like it would be hard to reach the top side with a stick...

Sorry I guess I worded the questions wrong, I meant is it safe to do it like this? Do oxy welds use flux? I ask cause lead is obviously poisonous.

Re: Just welded my exhaust with an arc welder...

just don't ever clean metal with brake cleaner before welding. brake cleaner+ extreme heat= Phosegene Gas= Death... as little as 6 parts per million!!!
what type of exhaust? car, motorcycle? you will want to use a low penetration and small diameter rod if arc welding...

Re: Just welded my exhaust with an arc welder...

If you just welded your exhaust system with a stick machine and it works without burning through the pipe, you must be doing something right; maybe the hard way, but if it works; it dosen't seem wrong.

I have not been in a working muffler shop for a lot of years; back in the day the shops all welded every thing with an oxygen / acetylene torch. Nobody working in a muffler shop was skilled enough to sucessfully arc weld mufflers and pipes.

Re: Just welded my exhaust with an arc welder...

Lead? Unless your running leaded race fuel I dont think you have anything to worry about, even then I never through twice about welding race car exhuast that we run leaded fuel through.

Interesting. I know leaded gas was still used in the late 90's for aircraft fuel. I didn't know race fuel was still leaded. I'm guessing the OP is from a counrty that didn't stop using leaded gas in the 70's.

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Re: Just welded my exhaust with an arc welder...

I have done equip exhaust with a 3/32 6011. It took a few tries to vet where I wasn't burning through the pipe but it is doable. Keep in mind I had the exhaust off of the equip so I could move it to a good position for welding as needed.

Re: Just welded my exhaust with an arc welder...

should have thought to get on this forum first and ask but, is it ok to use flux welding on something like this?? Had to do about 7 or 8 welds, first time welding.

Flux welding?? Do you mean FCAW wire feed?
Or do you mean SMAW, (stick welding)?

Stick welding a muffler TUBE even with 1/16 electrode would be almost impossible
even if you were highly skilled.
And don't forget about the sparks all around the gas tank area.

Here is what you should do.
Cut off the old tube back to good metal.
clean the tube. Insert the new tube and muffler and put on the muffler u bolts and tighten with a wrench. -Done no welding.
Just like a brand new car.

Re: Just welded my exhaust with an arc welder...

Flux welding?? Do you mean FCAW wire feed?
Or do you mean SMAW, (stick welding)?

Stick welding a muffler TUBE even with 1/16 electrode would be almost impossible
even if you were highly skilled.
And don't forget about the sparks all around the gas tank area.

Here is what you should do.
Cut off the old tube back to good metal.
clean the tube. Insert the new tube and muffler and put on the muffler u bolts and tighten with a wrench. -Done no welding.
Just like a brand new car.

Guess I'm highly skilled. I welded my 5" stacks up with an AC225 and 1/16" 6013's. Not ideal but it was all I had at the time

Re: Just welded my exhaust with an arc welder...

I am far from being a skilled welder.I have welded new exhaust tubing with 308 stainless.I had a new exhaust pipe wrong year.It was 4 inches too long.The end of the pipe was offset so I could not just cut off a piece.I cut out the 4 in section and butt welded the pipe. Used an old welder and did the job on the bench.When the car was rusted away from salt the weld was still sound.I use stainless a lot.3 /32 rod is what I use.Cant weld at all with 1/16

Re: Just welded my exhaust with an arc welder...

Originally Posted by nadogail

....I have not been in a working muffler shop for a lot of years; back in the day the shops all welded every thing with an oxygen / acetylene torch. Nobody working in a muffler shop was skilled enough to sucessfully arc weld mufflers and pipes.

Thank you. That is my experience too...but maybe I am too shade tree to understand this.. or making bad assumptions..

1. Usually the exhaust is welded not only in place...but with the vehicle supported by the wheels.... so as to be able to judge interferences when on the road better.
Perhaps some of you who are not taking it off and welding it on a table have the advantage of adjustable lifts AND auto darkening helmets... or can weld without having to see where your bead is being applied ?

My experience is limited to welding with the vehicle on the ground ... or at best all four wheels on ramps... me prone on the ground trying to bend up enough to see the top of the pipe and what was behind it I could catch on fire... with a flip back helmet there is not the room in most situations to be that high into the machinery where the helmet could be flipped down... whereas oxy-acet goggles are just fine.

Then after you weld it... if you want to check for leaks... visually .... it is pretty easy to view an oxy-acet bead with a mirror with no prep... but getting slag off the top side of that pipe in such a tight space is a real problem for me..... and I would have burned through because I would be distracted from the sparks hitting the ground or concrete and rolling under me.... very distracting to me... ouch.... and even potentially setting my shirt on fire... but I do wear snap shirts instead of buttons so I can exit them fast...

But really,... what Donald B said :
"Here is what you should do.
Cut off the old tube back to good metal.
clean the tube. Insert the new tube and muffler and put on the muffler u bolts and tighten with a wrench. -Done no welding.
Just like a brand new car. "

Becomes smarter and smarter looking the older one gets... if something has to come back apart to reach something else... .or the next time it needs fixing..... you can usually do it with already bent and spread items from the local O'Reilly's...and can still weld it up if you really want to... but exhaust pipe clamps have worked perfectly for millions of cars.

Re: Just welded my exhaust with an arc welder...

Originally Posted by DSW

Interesting. I know leaded gas was still used in the late 90's for aircraft fuel. I didn't know race fuel was still leaded. I'm guessing the OP is from a counrty that didn't stop using leaded gas in the 70's.

Still is leaded. Lots of av fuel is 101LL which is 101 octane low lead. still leaded just not as much